they oppose sharia law in places like timbuktu, formerly a leading tourist attraction. music and alcohol are prohibited. women have to wear veils. punishments are draconian. in the capital in the south, moderate muslims set the tone, and yet, the defacto loss of 2/3 of their national territory hurts, especially since many have relatives in the north. then i i am very afraid. if we do not succeed in solving the crisis in the north, we risk having the islamists come down south. >> the crisis is very bad for my country. i would like to put an end to it at any cost. >> the country has always depended on outside assistance, and we need it now more than ever. if we were able to solve the crisis ourselves, we would have already done so. we need an external help. we cannot do it alone. >> the army is poorly trained and equipped, and the state is politically weak. the provisional government which took power after a coup in march is divided within itself. last month, the government asked the united nations for help, and the un is currently investigating the possibility of an afri